PM Unveils New £600m Health Data Service To Transform Medical Research In The UK
The Prime Minister has today announced a major overhaul of the way researchers access NHS data, in a move that could unlock faster progress towards a cure for dementia and other major conditions.
Backed by Government and global research charity, the Wellcome Trust, the new £600 million Health Data Research Service will give scientists quicker, safer access to large-scale NHS datasets.
The Government says the changes will slash red tape around clinical trials – which is currently limiting access to research and innovative treatments – and help position the UK as a global leader in medical research and life sciences.
The time it takes to set up clinical trials in the UK will be reduced from over 250 days to 150 by March 2026, through national contracting standards and improved transparency in approval timelines.
The new system will also remove duplication and streamline applications, bringing together datasets currently scattered across different parts of the NHS. Data will be held securely, with strict safeguards to protect patient privacy and anonymity.
Welcoming the announcement, Hilary-Evans Newton, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said the new data service could a be “game changer” for dementia research. “By cutting red tape around data access and clinical trials, the UK can accelerate the development of new diagnostics and treatments, and become a magnet for global investment,” she said.
“Dementia is the nation’s biggest killer, and with no treatments currently available on the NHS that slow or stop the condition, this momentum couldn’t come at a more urgent time.”
Wellcome Trust Chief Executive John-Arne Røttingen said the new service would remove “significant overhead” in finding and using NHS data. “The simpler it is to analyse data or identify patients to join clinical trials, the more quickly we can improve our understanding of illness and develop new treatments.”
As well as accelerating the search for new treatments, the Health Data Research Service is expected to help drive economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and easing the long-term burden of chronic diseases like dementia.
“It means growth that puts more money in working people’s pockets with more, better paid jobs,” explained the Prime Minister.
Dementia already costs the UK economy over £25 billion a year – a figure expected to rise sharply as the population ages. According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, every £1 invested in dementia research today could return £2.50 to the economy, through improved productivity and reduced care costs.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting stressed that patients would benefit from improved access to new treatments and technologies, while data confidentiality would remain a “gold standard”, with rigorous security measures in place.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle added that protecting the data and anonymity of patients was “non-negotiable”.
Alzheimer’s Research UK says putting people with dementia at the heart of how the system is designed will be essential to building public trust and ensuring impact.
“With the right safeguards in place,” Hilary Evans-Newton added, “trusted access to NHS data can be a powerful force for good – helping the UK lead the world in life sciences and transform the outlook for everyone affected by dementia.”
The service is expected to launch later this year, with full plans due alongside the upcoming Spending Review.
